UNION Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi and officials attended the 16th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment and its Related Meeting chaired by Indonesia through videoconferencing yesterday morning.
During the discussion, Union Minister U Khin Maung Yi said he is very proud of the long-term partnership as a milestone in the success of the ASEAN Community 2025 with the vision of “One vision, One identity, One community”. Along with industrial and economic development, climate change and environmental degradation are challenges that also affect livelihoods and sustainability.
He highlighted the importance of regional cooperation to prevent the degradation of the natural resources and ecosystem which include native plans, minerals, wetlands and marine resources, to develop sustainably and to achieve the ASEAN Goal “Clean and Green ASEAN”.
He said environmental sustainability is a key pillar of Myanmar’s sustainable development agenda; Myanmar’s National Environmental Policy, Climate Change Policy and Strategy, National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan and Myanmar National Waste Management Strategy are being formulated and implemented. A green economic approach to boosting environmentally friendly investment will provide opportunities for post-COVID-19 rehabilitation in the region, and Myanmar will work more closely to enhance environmental cooperation in the ASEAN region, he added.
Myanmar officials also presented reports on biodiversity conservation, coastal conservation, water resources conservation, climate change mitigation, sustainable cities, education on chemical wastes and environment, production and consumption issues. This was followed by the ASEAN Joint Declaration on Climate Change, ASEAN-China Green and Sustainable Development Joint Declaration, ASEAN Joint Declaration on Chemical and Waste Management, ASEAN Joint Declaration on Biodiversity, Plastic Pollution Eradication Plan. The meeting submitted reports on climate change in the ASEAN region and ratified the Sustainable Consumption and Production Agreement.
The Union Minister also attended the 5th Environmentally Sustainable Cities Award-ESC award ceremony where NyaungU from Myanmar received the award. It is reported that the 16th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment and its Related Meeting and ASEAN+3 Ministerial Meetings will continue to be held on 22 October.
MNA